Impact of CADD technology on the architectural community

A random sample of one hundred and thirty full-time architects from five medium size architectural firms and five large size architectural firms in Chicago were interviewed to ascertain the impact of Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) technology on work arrangement, perceived task characteristics, job satisfaction, perceived alternatives at local labor market, and intent to quit. Results of discriminant function analysis indicated that CADD users were not significantly different from non-users in work arrangement, perception of task characteristics, job satisfaction, perceived alternatives at local labor market, and intent to quit. None of the six hypothetical causal models were supported by regression analysis because perceived alternatives were found to have no predictability to job satisfaction and intent to quit. Further simplification and refinement of the remaining paths in the models, by LISREL, resulted in a reasonable model, which appeared to be better fit to the data. Thse findings suggest that CADD technology is just a new drafting aid to the architects without making any significant change in their practice and quality of work life. But its little impact can be better understood, if improvement of measures and inclusion of more relevant variables can be granted.